1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover structure of an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cover structure for a coolant pipe of a cooling device of an internal combustion engine, which is mounted on a motorcycle.
2. Background Art
In the field of cover structures for internal combustion engines, there is known a cover structure in which a water pump and a protective cover, which covers and protects a coolant pipe in communication with a cooling system of the internal combustion engine, are integrally mounted on a sprocket wheel cover, which covers a drive sprocket wheel connected to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine, for example, in Japanese patent document JP-UM-B-7-55291.
Further, in order to decrease the size of an internal combustion engine, there is known an internal combustion engine in which a distance between a crankshaft and an output shaft is shortened. In such an internal combustion engine, a drive sprocket wheel, which is connected to the output shaft, and a coolant pipe of a cooling device are overlapped in the width direction of the vehicle. However, with such an internal combustion engine, it is difficult to cover and protect the coolant pipe using the protective cover described above in patent document 1.
The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cover for an internal combustion engine which can cover and protect a coolant pipe of a cooling device of an internal combustion engine even when the internal combustion engine is an internal combustion engine which has a short distance between a crankshaft and an output shaft.